"Connect With Tech" sessions....

<p>Have any of you attended one of the Connect With Tech sessions? If so, will you share your impression?</p>

<p>We went last year to visit over 12 different college campuses. I have to say the CWT program was one of the most informative programs we attended.</p>

<p>My son did an overnight at Georgia Tech as part of the "Connect with Tech" program about a year ago. We were separated at a late afternoon program and didn't come back together again until the following afternoon. He needed a small sleeping bag (we flew there) and casual clothes. He spent the night in an apartment style dorm and had breakfast in the dining hall. He then had a choice of several classes to attend before the group sessions started again.</p>

<p>What made the biggest impression to him was that his host and some other guys went over to a Sorority house to watch movies as the evening entertainment. Any concerns my son had about lack of girls or social life at GT went out the window right then.</p>

<p>The parent sessions covered the usual financial aid, campus security, study abroad type programs, but also had a session on how to start letting go of your child during high school so they could begin handling the distractions of life on their own without your help. It was very entertaining as well as enlightening!</p>

<p>My son will be a freshman at GT next fall.</p>

<p>My son and I Will be doing the Connect with Tech program this coming weekend. Will post a report on our return.</p>

<p>Thanks to all for the feedback.<br>
GNU, it turns out that my husband, D, and I will also be there for CWT this coming weekend. Maybe we'll get a chance to say hello.</p>

<p>I look forward to it, M. Mom. I am sending you a pm with personal details.</p>

<p>2sonmama, what is your son's intended major? It sounds like his CWT experience played a significant role in his decision making process...</p>

<p>Biomed33, are you a student at GA Tech?</p>

<p>gnusasaurus, thanks for the PM info....have a safe trip to GA.</p>

<p>My son plans to be an Electrical Engineering major. CWT definitely made the difference in his decision. We had never been to that part of the country before and visited a couple other schools while we were down there (Clemson and Virginia Tech). At those we just did the typical information session, tour, and visit with a professor in the major. The longer exposure at GT really made a difference in terms of feeling like you really knew what the school was like rather than the usual 2-3 hours on campus.</p>

<p>I worked with CWT a few years ago and it is a good program, well structured and the students are trained well. They put a lot of work in to it and it does show.</p>

<p>Its a great way for students to get to know the campus and ask any questions that will arise (more so than on an average tour).</p>

<p>Parents also get the chance to settle any concerns they may be having as well.</p>

<p>Thanks for your responses, 2sonmama and gt06. We're looking forward to CWT this weekend.</p>

<p>Does anyone have suggestions for things we should see/do on Saturday before CWT starts on Sunday? We've been to Atlanta numerous times over the years but our previous visits have not been focused on GA Tech...(we did the standard information session and tour during an earlier visit)</p>

<p>We've looked at the activities calendar for the weekend but have found limited activities scheduled possibly due to the mid-term crunch which probably has most students studying for exams before their spring break?</p>

<p>Suggestions/recommendations are welcomed.</p>

<p>My daughter and I did the February session. She stayed with a college student and visited a sorority with her. I went to the parent sessions. Very helpful although I kept asking for paper to take notes on and they could not come up with it for some reason. Interesting to hear from Georgia Tech Police and safety issues. I have to to say what I heard in CWT differs greatly from the posts I have read on studentsreview.com. Has me scratching my head and thinking hard about sending my first child across the country. Housing and campus seemed fine, swimming pool is very nice. Still reading everything I can to get a better picture.</p>

<p>My son and I have returned from the "Connect with Tech" program. Before you read any further, let me inform you that my son will not be attending Georgia Tech, so if you only want to read about a totally positive experience, skip this post.</p>

<p>From the parent perspective:</p>

<p>The Connect with Tech program was well organized and thorough. I wish every college visit we made could have been more like the Connect with Tech seminars. They take you on a combination bus/walkiing tour of the campus and then you sit in on several sessions covering every topic from parenting a college student to financial aid and everything in between.</p>

<p>I found the campus to be nicer than expected. After the visit, I also felt that safety and security was not a major issue. Academics seem to be top notch for all the engineering programs and the co-cop program is outstanding. The administrators make it no secret that it is going to take most students at least 5 years to get through Georgia Tech and that apparently includes attending class during most, if not all, summer sessions. </p>

<p>During the campus tour on Sunday, in one of the dining halls, I asked a student, "How is the food here?", he responded, "Fine, but I wouldnt encourage your child to attend Georgia Tech. Just one students opinion". How odd, I thought.</p>

<p>On Sunday, I walked from the assigned parking lot to the Student Success Center building, a distance of approximately half mile. I said Good morning to 10 students on the walk. Not one of the students made eye contact with me or responded in anyway. Again, how odd.</p>

<p>Then at lunch time on Sunday, the parents and students ate lunch at the same time in the Student Center Ballroom. My son was sitting alone and visibly unhappy. Although, I had planned to eat lunch with parents I met at the event, I went and sat by son who told of his less than acceptable overnight experience.</p>

<p>As parents may know, the students are assigned to a host student, who the brochure says will entertain the guest, tell them about Tech, etc. Well, first of all, my sons host showed up late. Apparently my son was left somewhere alone after everyone else was gone, waiting for his host student to show up. Secondly, the host was in a fraternity, not a dorm, as advertised. The host seemed to have little interest in speaking with my son and zero interest in entertaining him. So, after about a 10 minute conversation during which they discovered they had nothing in common academically, my son sat in the frat house entertaining himself to the best of his ability. None of the other frat members attempted to have any kind of conversation with him.</p>

<p>Back to the Sunday lunch, four current student came and sat at our table and we did have a conversation. They were all quite open and honest about their own experiences. </p>

<p>From my sons perspective:</p>

<p>While on the bus tour, four students approached him advising him not to attend Georgia Tech. He thought the first two were joking, then after two more students approached him (all at different points on the tour) he realized they were serious. The overnight stay for him was a disaster. The seminars were very informative. He apparently had decided before even meeting with his host that he did not like the atmosphere at Georgia Tech, so for him, the Connect with Tech program was far too long and extremely uncomfortable because of the overnight stay. My son said that Georgia Tech is the only college tour we have taken where the tour guides were not bubbly cheerful people. </p>

<p>My son and I agreed that Georgia Tech seemed like an extremely unhappy place. Needless to say, my son won't be attending. It seems to me that Georgia Tech would be a good spot for the student who wanted to spend 5 years locked in his self-imposed prison with little human contact. I should also say that the thought of attending a hard core tech college appealed to my son, until he saw the reality of the situation. (He applied to 3 tech colleges, 3 privates and 2 large state U's)</p>

<p>Best wishes to all.</p>

<p>WOW! What a shame you had that experience. </p>

<p>I do not feel that way at all about GT. Yes, it is hard. Yes, there are people that do not socialize. Too bad your tour guides were terrible. The CWT staff should know about this. Hope you filled out your survey. </p>

<p>I have had so much fun here. I have met a ton of new people. I did not know a soul when I came here from out of state. I love sports. The football games, basketball games and baseball games are great. Atlanta is call Hotlanta for a reason, not just the weather! </p>

<p>If you let a couple down and out people decide for you that is too bad. If you are social enough and confident in who you are you will do great at GT.</p>

<p>My daughter also said some students approached their tour group and told them not to go there. She didn't think much of them. Does make you wonder about the state of mind of some of these kids. People really didn't look too happy on campus for the most part although some were very upbeat.</p>

<p>Sorry about your experience. You should definitely let the CWT personnel know about your family's experience. My daughter who is now a junior chose Tech over two other schools based on her Connect With Tech experience which was overly positive. </p>

<p>Certainly Tech is not for everyone but it is indeed a very sociable institution for a highly regarded engineering school. In fact at times, I think my daughter's social life is TOO full. From her input, each sorority and frat seem to have a different personality and just perhaps, your son was stuck in a rather poor choice for a CWT experience. Being that Tech is hard, many students who struggle academically or have ot hit the books have second thoughts and will sometimes steer others away from the school when compared to other schools (the grass is always greener affect and the party's are always better over there, for GA students it always I could be having more fun in Athens). Hopefully at graduation it will be worth it.<br>
Trust me though when I say, there is a social scene if that's what you want though it may not be as on a grand scale as UGA or IU but that may also be a good thing. </p>

<p>Best of luck to your son in his choice. My son is also trying to make that choice and is still considering Tech and a few others. Unfortunately, where he would like to go, I can't afford and it is a campus where EVERYONE talks to you and it is unofficial campus policy to greet everyone you see (Washington and Lee). Tough choices.</p>

<p>Well said! A lot of GT students did not have to study much in high school. When they got to GT some of them were shocked at the work load. If you talk to the junior or senior students they will tell you it is worth it. </p>

<p>Don't let some disgruntled students or possibly pranksters make your decisions for you. The opportunities here are endless. I know my GT degree is going to be worth more than others, so I feel the work is worth it! </p>

<p>As far as things to do in Atlanta the list is endless. What about the new aquarium?</p>

<p>I just went to the Connect With Tech session this Sun. (Today's Wed) I was impressed. I am from Texas so I flew there. My parents did not come because we have already visited it as a family over the summer. I already knew Gatech has an excellent academic reputation and programs, I was going to help me decide whether I should go. I enjoyed the experience, I to ended up staying in a frat house. It seems people have talked about other students telling them not to go, and I believe its just something they do at Tech. My dad graduated from their and he talks about how people just wanted to get out cuz its so damn hard; but he's glad that he went. So Im sure all the students were joking. I highly recommend the program. My only worry is the social side of Tech. It appears frats are a great way to network but if you dont, on campus activities are generally lackluster. That being said, Atlanta is right on your doorstep. Based on talking with other students, its what you make out of it. For anyone worried about the ratio, I got the impression that it is most apparent in class. After you subtract all those student who simply stay in thier dorm room, it comes closer to 50/50. That being said I still have my doubts about tech.</p>

<p>Whether or not these individuals making recommendations were joking is really beside the point of my post. The point is of all the students we had contact with...including the 10 who refused to say hello, the four who sat down at the table, the various tour guides, group leaders, hosts, etc., GT had an atmosphere quite different than any campus we have visited. And, this is not meant as criticism to the students currently attending. I am sure they are under an exreme amount of pressure. </p>

<p>So, were the students joking? Possibly. However, when most people pull a prank or joke around, they usually laugh or smile, or have a slight grin that they cannot hide. Anyone taking the campus tour and encountering this behavior will have to judge for themselves the general atmosphere before deciding if it is a fit for them.</p>

<p>Regarding Biomed33'3 comments, I agree that I should have added to my previous comments that a very outgoing student who was not afraid of rejection could make it at Georgia Tech. I believe that is true. Very outgoing or very introverted will do fine there. My son just happens to be in that mushy middle ground territory, where he needs and wants social interaction, but is not always sure enough of himself to instigate the process. This kind of student is not a fit for Georgia Tech.</p>

<p>As a parent, I am sorry for your experience. But, this is such a great school and sometimes, I don't think people give it the credit it deserves. It is not for those that think partying and socializing is the end to all. Ga students go to UGA for that as TN students go to UT. I really feel bad that your visit was less than perfect but we had a much worse visit to NYU and 35000 people applied there.</p>

<p>My D is very popular at school and a cheerleader in a TN HS and I have had worries about the social aspects of the schools she has applied to. UNC is one of those schools. Even though everyone wants to get into that school from out-of-state, when you read that 82% are NC students, and not implying that NC students are not deserving and bright, but it worries me a little because it makes UNC look a little too easy for NC residents? And way to difficult for out-of-state residents. Then there is NYU and all can figure out those concerns. So GT was refreshing.</p>

<p>We have friends that have kids at GT and some are happy and some are overwhelmed at how hard it is but none hate it...they just hate their GPA. AND THEIR GPA DID DROP A LOT compared to HS.
So factor into the equation that if some kids implied that you should not go there, between sour grapes at not being able to cut it and the stress of being in a school that is as hard as GT, it is not surprising that they are a bit "outspoken". What interests me is this. If you are this unhappy at school, go somewhere else. Someone, probably your parents, are footing the bill. So go to a community college and make it easy on everyone.</p>

<p>"My D is very popular at school and a cheerleader in a TN HS and I have had worries about the social aspects of the schools she has applied to. UNC is one of those schools. Even though everyone wants to get into that school from out-of-state, when you read that 82% are NC students, and not implying that NC students are not deserving and bright, but it worries me a little because it makes UNC look a little too easy for NC residents? And way to difficult for out-of-state residents."</p>

<p>It is true the acceptance rate is extremely low for oos at Carolina....approximately 10-11 percent of all acceptances, which is right there with the most selective of the Ivys. But what can be done about this when the legislature restricts admissions of oos candidates? It is definitely not a reflection on the quality of an applicant if they are not accepted under such competitive circumstances.</p>

<p>AND I found that the overall acceptance rate at Carolina is approximately the same as, if not a bit lower than, Rice University, which should dispel any notion that standards are not competitive.</p>